Night Terrors

Ok, first off I hope I got this in the right topic because I am a newbie here. Anyways, I thought I should ask a question about this since I'm scared BAD_WORDless over the matter:

Every once and awhile I get a strange nightmare, it is the same every time yet slightly different. I usually doze off to sleep like any other night, when suddenly my body feels like it is vibrating and aching like crazy. It hurts, but I can't move or speak. I open my eyes to see some thing at my bedside, it's hand on my covers as I feel the discomfort. It is at this point I think it is a dream, and try my best to wake up. But the pain only gets worse, and all I can do it wait for it to pass before the being disapeared and I sit up in bed with my body hurting and feeling numb. This almost always happens during and around midnight, and though it never lasts very long it scares me and leaves me shaken throughout the next day. A strange thing is that the creature watching me is different every time. The first time this dream occurred 2 years ago, it appeared as my cat and the pain was very week. A few months later, I had the dream again and this time much stronger; the creature appearing as a ghostly lady in a white victorian dress. Around 5 months after that, the dream came again and even stronger; the creature appearing as some sort of demon if I am correct though it looked like a werewolf. Some time last year it happened again, much much stronger; the creature appearing as a shadowed man. and Now, just 2 night ago, it came the strongest it had ever been before; appearing oddly enough as some type of alien. It was tall, around 7 feet in height, it's body cloaked in black but it's head a large upsidedown grey egg shape and peircing black eyes. It really scared the BAD_WORD out of me and I don't know how to get the dreams to stop. Please help, I'm sure I'm becoming an insomniac over the matter. Thank you very much!

Wikipedia: Physiologically, sleep paralysis is closely related to REM atonia, the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the body paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully conscious but unable to move. The paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes "by which the individual may experience panic symptoms and the realization that the distorted perceptions were false". As the correlation with REM sleep suggests, the paralysis is not entirely complete; use of EOG traces shows that eye movement can be instigated during such episodes. When there is an absence of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is referred to as isolated sleep paralysis (ISP).

In addition, the paralysis may be accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (hypnopompic or hypnagogic) and an acute sense of danger. Sleep paralysis is particularly frightening to the individual because of the vividness of such hallucinations. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful or dream-like objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as an explanation for alien abductions and ghostly encounters. A study by Susan Blackmore and Marcus Cox (the Blackmore-Cox study) of the University of the West of England supports the suggestion that reports of alien abductions are related to sleep paralysis rather than to temporal lobe lability.

If you have no other paranormal activity happening in your house when you are fully awake and moving about in the day, chances are this is sleep paralysis. Since scientists say it could be from ghostly encounters, it could very well be a ghost bothering you at night. I would burn sage near your beside at night before you go to sleep or pour a line of salt in your doorway -- this also is a barrier for spirits. Sage is a natural cleanser and negates bad spirits from being inside your home.

Wikipedia: Physiologically, sleep paralysis is closely related to REM atonia, the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the body paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully conscious but unable to move. The paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes "by which the individual may experience panic symptoms and the realization that the distorted perceptions were false". As the correlation with REM sleep suggests, the paralysis is not entirely complete; use of EOG traces shows that eye movement can be instigated during such episodes. When there is an absence of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is referred to as isolated sleep paralysis (ISP).

In addition, the paralysis may be accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (hypnopompic or hypnagogic) and an acute sense of danger. Sleep paralysis is particularly frightening to the individual because of the vividness of such hallucinations. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful or dream-like objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as an explanation for alien abductions and ghostly encounters. A study by Susan Blackmore and Marcus Cox (the Blackmore-Cox study) of the University of the West of England supports the suggestion that reports of alien abductions are related to sleep paralysis rather than to temporal lobe lability.

If you have no other paranormal activity happening in your house when you are fully awake and moving about in the day, chances are this is sleep paralysis. Since scientists say it could be from ghostly encounters, it could very well be a ghost bothering you at night. I would burn sage near your beside at night before you go to sleep or pour a line of salt in your doorway -- this also is a barrier for spirits. Sage is a natural cleanser and negates bad spirits from being inside your home.

Now that I re-read your post in accordance with sleep paralysis from wiki, you could be getting abducted by aliens. Since you said this figure was tall, egg shaped head that was grey and piercing black eyes. If you want a good movie about alien encounters, watch The Fourth Kind. Sorry for the double post.

Oh wow, that is a very interesting reply to my question. The first reply you gave me sounds quite logical, and I think I should talk to my mother about treating that if that is the case. If it IS aliens, than I am VERY frightened and have no idea what to do about it. Aliens! Scary stuff. If that was the case, then I have no idea what they did to me (unless they were doing some sort of psychological experiment) because I had a doctors check up a week ago and they said I was perfectly healthy. I am still very scared and have no idea what is going on then.

Oh wow, that is a very interesting reply to my question. The first reply you gave me sounds quite logical, and I think I should talk to my mother about treating that if that is the case. If it IS aliens, than I am VERY frightened and have no idea what to do about it. Aliens! Scary stuff. If that was the case, then I have no idea what they did to me (unless they were doing some sort of psychological experiment) because I had a doctors check up a week ago and they said I was perfectly healthy. I am still very scared and have no idea what is going on then.

I wasn't trying to scare you, but when I scoured over your original post a few times, the symptoms fit for alien abduction (not saying that it is). As I stated before, The Fourth Kind gives you insight on something that happened in Alaska backed up with evidence. Your symptoms such as "comes and goes - every once in awhile", "frightening", various shapes of visitors, and especially pain and numbing sensation. It takes a ghost/spirit a lot of energy to cause physical harm unless it is inhuman spirit. If you don't have any paranormal activity in your house besides when you sleep makes me think it's either just sleep paralysis or aliens. Not trying to sound crazy, but hey, if you believe in ghosts/spirits than it isn't a stretch to believe in the extraterrestrial. I would have a notepad with me and every time something happened to me, these nightly visits, write them down as soon as you can so it's fresh. Do these nightmares have a pattern? "Comes and goes - every once in awhile" as in once in a blue moon, monthly, every few weeks, every week, every few days?

Oh, you are not the only one that is scaring me. Alot of the other threads in this section are freaking me out and getting me paranoid as well, hehe. Either way, I appreciate any and all advice.

I believe in alot of things, not really skeptic about stuff that makes sense. well, I'm not sure how far they are in between but let me think....it usually happens every 4 months or so, though sometimes there would be two days in a row the rest are a few months apart. When it does happen though, I am so freightened I tend to not sleep for a long while. It leaves me tired and sick the next day, I can hardly keep my eyes open and don't have much of an appetite for a couple days as well.

Sorry, I can't say anything more than what people have said above, but I thought it was interesting that you said it affects you the next day. I get sleep paralysis with hallucinations often, but I feel better once I'm fully awake and can move. Have you found other people who can relate to your experiences?

Sorry, I can't say anything more than what people have said above, but I thought it was interesting that you said it affects you the next day. I get sleep paralysis with hallucinations often, but I feel better once I'm fully awake and can move. Have you found other people who can relate to your experiences?

I feel pain in most of my dreams...it is a strange thing but these dreams are the ones that are always more pronounced.

Interesting. Well no, I have not found anyone that has the same experience yet. Looking through this forum to see if I can find someone, but nothing yet.

I would like to offer another reason for what is happening to you. I have heard that we all astro project when we sleep. If this is true what you see might very well be you trying to get back in your body. The pain might be from that experence.
Just a thought.

I hope you all know that while the Fourth Kind was an excellent movie, it wasn't real. Google it and see what I mean.

I highly doubt that what you're experiencing is alien abduction. If you were to even have an encounter of the fourth kind, there would be other happenings and evidence as well. Especially, since you pointed out that the being has progressivly changed forms, it sounds very much like hallucinations...and that is a part of sleep paralysis.

I also feel pain in many dreams, and have had very fearful dreams that haunt me into the next day. Fear is an extremely powerful emotion, and can cripple otherwise healthy people from the inside out. I have been crippled by fear, and it persists..and persists...Untill you face it. What I suggest is to attack your fear of these incidents. First, admit that fear is there. If you believe in a Supreme Being, ask the Being for help, protection, and guidance. If you believe in Angels, or other spirit guides , they can be particularily helpful in these situations.

As long as you're not waking up bloody and bruised, this is most likely a mental occurance. I know that it's very frightful to you, but if you believe that you can do things to help these experiences, then by all means do whatever you can. Remember, don't let fear cripple you. Feel free to talk to me further, if you like. I only want to help.
If you want to e-mail me, simply ask, as well. You're not alone when it comes to things like this, so never think you are. Stay strong.

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. Anton Chekhov

Also, I want to add that fear and other mental instabilities can actually cause physical pain if they're intense enough. Think of having heartache... You love someone so much that you lost, and sometimes you can feel physical pain in your chest, near your heart. Hence, heartACHE. The brain is more powerful than any of us truely know. Hell, I've been scared to the point where I have headaches and chest pains. So perhaps, that can all explain the pain you're feeling, and also the exhaustion and fatigue the next day.

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. Anton Chekhov

yeah, I'm pretty sure I have sleepy paralysis of some sort. Though it could be aliens, possibly. It is common for me to wake up with bruises on my legs or cuts on my arms, but I assume that is because I sleepwalk on occassion. I mean, when I was younger I sleep walked alot, and though I'm never sure where the cuts or bruises come from I think I'm just sleepwalking all over my room (I lock the door so fat chance I get out, I probably just bump into things around me and get cut on the sharper objects I think)

I've never been a very religious person before (I don't even go to Church) but recently because of the Night Terror I now wear a cross to bed and pray to God to repel any evil presences. (my mom won't let me burn any sage in my room)

All of my dreams are very vivid, though this one is really the only one in first person or in an environment I am familiar with. Pain is common for me and I am glad that I am not the onnly one that suffers from this.

Thank you for your help, I don't know what I would do without all the smart people who replied to this topic. ^_^

Yes, usually in what seems like a paranormal situation, there are many different rational explainations. I still believe in the paranormal, however.
I would say to keep praying, also. I'm not forcing any one religion, but praying to or asking a Supreme Being (God, etc.) can really help if that's what you believe. I'd consider myself religious, but it's up to you to decide what you want to be. Perhaps asking for healing or a painless night will help you. There's no harm in asking.

If your night terrors come back (pray they won't), don't hesitate to post again and I can help you more. Good luck! And again, stay strong! And feel free to ask any questions.

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. Anton Chekhov

Now that you mention sleepwalking, I'd lean more towards sleep paralysis. They kind of go hand in hand when you think about it. In sleepwalking, the mind is asleep and dreaming while the body fails to enter a paralytic state and in sleep paralysis it's the other way around. Your body paralyzes itself whenever you enter a dreaming state in order to prevent sleepwalking otherwise we'd all be acting out our dreams every night. If you haven't already because of your history of sleepwalking, you might want to talk to a doctor and maybe do one of those sleep studies where they monitor you all night in order to identify any possible disorders.

Also, try not to get too worked up over the idea of aliens or ghosts being the cause. If you are thinking and worrying about those things when you go to bed, you can be assured that they will be ready and waiting in your subconscious the next time your brain is trying to make sense of sleep paralysis.

I'll just add to the others' comments that it does sound like it could be sleep paralysis/sleep walking related. I occasionally sleep walk and have a friend who sleep walks so soundly and completely, that her husband watched her get up, walk into a wall almost knocking her over, and then go to the medicine cabinet, shake out a bunch of medication and take it, and then bang against the hallway walls all the way back to bed - she never woke up, but found, as have I, that she had been even eating in her sleep. I have been known to prepare a meal (bizarre I should say), read a newspaper (upside down)and carry on a conversation with my husband (though he couldn't make sense of it) - all while completely asleep. If you wake up with bruises, it wouldn't be surprising. As to the frightening 'apparitions', this may be some of the same half-sleep night mares acting themselves out in a half-waking state. I have quite vivid, and at times painful, dreams that can quite literally 'haunt' me through an entire day - like not being able to shake the feeling that you're not fully in this world - it just feels icky to me for lack of a better word. Many of the other suggestions like prayer or meditation may help you in coping, but I would say prayer to a specific deity or the wearing of the cross (as you mentioned you began doing) may not work especially well unless YOU place particular belief in that faith or belief system. If you are not particularly religious, some simple meditation to calm you, as simple as positive affirmations to yourself before bed may help. I personally, use sage for many reasons besides the pleasant scent, but you can assure your mom that you don't have to 'burn' the sage - that is it won't be on fire. You simply obtain a smudge stick of sage, and light just enough to make smoke, and using a feather or your hand, 'bathe' yourself with it and essentially 'clean' your room with it. Many use this as a daily ritual to center and make themselves ready for the day. Well, that got long ( as I often do), but hope some of this helps. There are many at this site who have more knowledge on this topic whom would be glad to help - keep searching!

I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what is too deep, too fine, for words. ~ Ruth St. Denis